Contestant 'dies' on new Lee Mack game show as BBC flooded with complaints

22 May 2023 , 09:46

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3by3 with Lee Mack was a last minute schedule change on BBC2 (Image: BBC)

Disturbed viewers were left shocked and confused after a contestant 'died' on a spoof Lee Mack game show.

Telly bosses were hit by a number of complaints after an episode of horror-comedy series Inside No 9 about a game show called 3by3 aired on BBC2.

Some viewers didn't appear to realise it was a new episode of the Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton show and assumed it was a new quiz show.

The game involved three pairs of three contestants competing to win a cash prize of up to £20,000.

Lee told viewers: "Hello I'm Lee Mack and welcome to 3by3, the brand new quiz show that gives three teams of three people, three chances to win a big money prize.

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"Well, I say big money, this is the BBC. In fact if the set doesn't fall down we'll be happy."

Lee then worried everyone as he called for the producer

The three teams - a family of three, including mum and daughter, three work colleagues and three friends, were then introduced to viewers before the first round began.

Then suddenly it took a worrying twist as the mum of the family died in the final round. Lee was then seen screaming "get the producer" as he ran off set and the camera cut out, before the credits rolled.

It was all an ingenious stunt, with echoes of Inside No 9's previous 'live episode', in which the writers pretended the show had been hit with technical difficulties before the BBC studio itself became the scene of a scary twist.

Not everyone watching twigged that it was not a real quiz show.

One put: "I know what it is, and I know what it's doing, but #3x3 is really unnerving. Anyone else?"

Viewers were left not knowing what was going on! (BBC)

Someone else put: ""What the actual f*** is going on? #3x3"

A third said: "Is this some kind of satire/insane creation? #3x3 #3by3 #bbc "

It may have sparked grumbles but plenty on social media loved the whole thing.

One fan put: "Brilliant! We nearly turned it off thinking it was the wrong programme! #3x3 #Insidenumber9 "

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Another said: "Love the idea that people might have watched #3x3 and didn't twig till the end"

Sam Elliott-Gibbs